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Thrifty Tableware

I remember asking my father once where he’d bought a particularly natty scarf from and he replied “from one of your shops.” He was referring to the local charity stores that I would frequently mine for vintage treasure. This was 20 years ago and back then we called it buying second-hand.

Now, it has a fancy name and people have built businesses out of it. But the concept remains the same – old stuff bought cheap and given a new life. As a student, charity shops were not only an alternative source for Saturday night outfits but also great places to buy all the goods required to set up a home. Since my first purchase of two 1970s lobster decor plates from a Heart Foundation shop, I’ve rarely bought tableware from a mainstream store.

Despite the unbelievable increase in the prices of polyester shift dresses (you could not give them away in 1990, now people want £40 plus for them) one can still pick up vintage plates, tableware and kitchen equipment for a few quid.

Salt & pepper shakers £1 per pair from Hove charity shop

A recent trip to a Brighton car boot fair was rewarded with a tin fish mould for £3, a retro rolling pin at £2 and a ceramic duck for storing eggs in at a bargain £3. We also bought three miniature bottles of champagne that turned out to be more on the cider side, but the less said about that mistake, the better.

Rolling pin £2 Brighton Marina boot fair

I know this is not a groundbreaking subject, but I wanted to show off a few of the goods we’ve purchased for a few pounds just as a reminder of the beautiful and happy things one can find on the shelves of your local thrift store or at a tabletop sale.

Rachel Pook is on a journey to Patagonia, following Paul Theroux's footsteps in his 1979 book The Old Patagonian Express. Retracing the original route, this blog will explore how the landscapes, people, railways, cultures and societies have changed since Theroux's original trip.